KOA Biotech Secures €2 Million to Combat Fish Farm Infections with Advanced Biosensors

Barcelona-based KOA Biotech has successfully closed a €2 million funding round to enhance its innovative biosensor technology aimed at detecting and preventing waterborne infections in fish farms. The investment, led by Swanlaab Innvierte Agrifood-Tech with participation from Fund-F and Faber, marks a significant step in addressing critical challenges in the aquaculture sector by reducing fish mortality, limiting antibiotic use, and mitigating environmental impact.

As global demand for fish grows, aquaculture has become a vital part of the world’s food production, supplying over half of the fish consumed. However, disease outbreaks within fish farms are a pressing concern. According to Sira Mogas, CEO and Founder of KOA Biotech, such infections can result in losses of up to 30% of production, with economic damages exceeding $6 billion globally.

Founded in 2021 as a spin-off from Pompeu Fabra University, KOA Biotech was built upon research from Mogas’ doctoral thesis. The company aims to be a key player in disease detection and prevention within aquaculture, advocating for sustainable practices to support the sector’s growth. Their operations focus on three core areas: biotechnology, data engineering, and hardware development.

Central to their approach is a cutting-edge biosensor system, which uses biotechnological tools combined with proprietary algorithms to create an autonomous device capable of early detection. This system enables proactive measures to curb the spread of infections before significant damage occurs, ultimately lowering fish mortality and reducing the reliance on antibiotics within fish farms.

The company claims its biosensor system monitors water quality ten times more frequently than conventional solutions. By integrating living organisms that detect specific pathogens with a micro-electronic interface, the technology transforms biological signals into actionable data, which is then processed and monitored via an online platform. Early warning alerts are triggered when the presence of certain pathogens surpasses predefined thresholds, providing fish farmers with real-time updates.

The spread of bacterial and viral infections is a primary issue in aquaculture, often leading to delayed detection as current methods typically rely on post-mortality sample collection and laboratory testing. KOA Biotech’s solution addresses these delays by offering continuous, automated monitoring, which reduces the need for specialized technicians and logistical challenges.

As highlighted by Swanlaab, the biosensor technology represents a major opportunity to optimize natural resource usage while tackling broader concerns related to food security and environmental sustainability. Nora Alonso, General Partner at Swanlaab Innvierte Agrifood-Tech, emphasized that “investing in technological and innovative companies like KOA is key for the development and value creation based on the research conducted in this sector in Spain.” Alonso further noted that KOA’s ability to attract two international impact funds—Fund-F and Faber—demonstrates the broader potential of its technology in addressing global issues.

The newly secured investment will enable KOA Biotech to further develop its technology and enhance its presence in the aquaculture industry. The funds will be directed toward consolidating the company’s technological advancements and implementing its commercial strategy to secure future growth.

With its focus on leveraging research and innovation, Swanlaab Venture Factory has played a key role in fostering startups across various sectors, including B2B software, biotechnology, and agrifood-tech. Over the past 20 years, the firm has supported more than 200 companies, aiming to help Spanish entrepreneurs succeed on a global scale.